Guidelines for Thesis and Dissertation Formatting
The following format guidelines are intended to help you prepare your master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation and should be used in conjunction with the specific style adopted by your academic program. It is your responsibility to conform to the following format requirements and ensure that your manuscript’s presentation is of the highest quality. Because requirements may change over time, students should not use existing library or departmental copies of manuscripts as examples of proper format.
Graduate Studies strongly suggests that your committee chair review a draft of your entire manuscript before you electronically submit it to the UNM Digital Repository.
For any questions, please contact the Manuscript Coordinators at manuscripts1@unm.edu.
NEW accessibility requirements for manuscripts starting for Summer 2026 graduates. Please see Accessibility Requirements section below.
Note: Paid editing and/or formatting services are available from people not employed by the Graduate Studies office. Check the bulletin board located outside the Manuscript Coordinator’s office at Graduate Studies, Dane Smith Hall, Room 217, for listings.
General Regulations | |||||||||
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Rights of the Author and the University:Your graduate unit has the right to require that you provide them with a copy of your thesis or dissertation, and that certain original records and materials be retained as the property of the University. Publication rights to the thesis or dissertation are reserved to you as the author. Deadline DatesThe final version of your thesis or dissertation, including accompanying forms, must be submitted to Graduate Studies by:
Writing a Thesis or Dissertation in a Language Other than EnglishWith approval of your committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies, a manuscript may be written in a language other than English. An abstract in English must be included. Accompanying Forms
Front matter templates are available at the Templates Page. Please submit all applicable manuscript forms to Graduate Studies as an email attachment to manuscripts1@unm.edu by the deadline dates. Submitting to ProQuest (Doctoral Only)Doctoral candidates must publish through ProQuest. Fees apply for open access ($150–$160). Traditional publishing may be free if submitted online. CopyrightsRegistering Your CopyrightCopyright is automatic. Registration is optional (through ProQuest or the U.S. Copyright Office). Including Copyrighted MaterialYou must obtain written permission to include copyrighted material beyond brief excerpts. | |||||||||
Preparing Your Manuscript | |||||||||
FormatPages must be 8.5" x 11". MarginsLeft: 1.25–1.5 in; Top/Right/Bottom: 1 in. Page NumbersRoman numerals for front matter; restart with Arabic numerals for body. Type & Font12 pt, double-spaced, single-sided. Arial, Times, Courier, Helvetica. StyleFollow a recognized style guide; must be consistent. SectionsFront Matter, Body of Research, Reference Matter. | |||||||||
Front Matter | |||||||||
Examples: Templates, Thesis Example, Dissertation Example Approval PageFirst page, counted as "i". Title PageIncludes title, name, degrees, degree to be awarded, graduation date. Dedication, Acknowledgement, Abstract, TOC, Lists, PrefaceAll sequential Roman numerals. Abstract max 150 words. | |||||||||
Body of Research | |||||||||
Begins with page "1" in Arabic numerals. Each chapter starts on a new page. FiguresInserted near related text, numbered consecutively, captions on same page. TablesPlaced consistently, may span pages, oversized treated like figures. | |||||||||
Reference Matter | |||||||||
AppendicesFollow main text. Must be listed in TOC. ReferencesFull listing of cited sources. Usually alphabetical. | |||||||||
Formatting Aids | |||||||||
MS Word TemplateAvailable at Templates. | |||||||||
Common Problems | |||||||||
Common reasons manuscripts are returned: Front MatterMust exactly match examples, including numbering. MarginsLeft: 1.25–1.5 in; others 1 in. Landscape Figures/TablesMargins and page numbers must be consistent. TOC & HeadingsAll headings at each level must match in TOC and body. Forms
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Accessibility Requirements (beginning for Summer 2026 graduates) | |||||||||
| Attention Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 graduates: Effective April 26, 2026, Graduate Studies requires thesis and dissertation manuscripts to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). Students must check that their manuscript passes accessibility requirements in Adobe Acrobat prior to submitting their manuscript to the Digital Repository and/or ProQuest (PhD only). Please refer to our Manuscript Accessibility Check Instructions for guidance to check accessibility in Adobe Acrobat. (This should be hyperlinked to the instructions) Upcoming Graduate Studies manuscript workshops will discuss all formatting manuscript formatting requirements, including checking for accessibility. All graduate students who are working on their thesis or dissertation are encouraged to attend. To learn more about creating accessible content, please visit Digital Accessibility Resources from the Center for Teaching & Learning or the WCAG 2.1 web standard. | |||||||||
Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Submission | |||||||||
All theses/dissertations are submitted electronically (PDF) to the UNM Digital Repository. Doctoral students also submit to ProQuest. EmbargoYou may request an embargo to delay public access. See Embargo Policy. Steps for SubmittingCreating a Single PDFFor technical assistance about submission and verification please email disc@unm.edu | |||||||||
